Blueberry Fields Forever

It was another gorgeous Friday afternoon spent picking berries after a long work week. My friend and I snuck out of town early and over to nearby Sauvie’s Island. There is a wonderful blueberry farm out there that grows about ten different varieties. This evening we were picking Blue Ray, which are giant bushes heavy with gigantic blueberries. They say they are good for fresh eating, but I will probably bake with them as well.

The conversation we were having was so great that I ended up with over six pounds of berries before I knew it. We just talked and talked, all the while filling our buckets. My arms are, pathetically, a little sore. But I am a firm believer that one can never have too many berries.

On our way out of Sauvie’s Island, we swung by another farm that is more of a market than a big “you pick” spot. They were carrying some local produce though, so I picked up some divine looking apricots. We will most likely eat them fresh for breakfast, so I doubt they will last long. I also picked up some peach salsa, since I have come to realize I have a mild addiction to that stuff. The sweet combo of the salsa with salty chips is everything I could crave in one fabulous snack.

We did eventually get back, and stay on, the road heading back to Portland. As we left, we saw a deer grazing through the farmer’s field. The field had “deer fencing”, so this guy must have jumped high, determined to have an evening feast. I should only hope my culinary delights tonight will be as fresh and delicious as his all night buffet.

Thanks for remembering and emailing. Your blog is really nice and your house and garden is lovely! Do you feel ready for hundreds of people to be coming through on Saturday? I know there will be lots of chicken chatting… There’s lots more we’d like to do in the garden and coop, but it will be fun and interesting no matter what… I just came across a mention about your kiwis. We got 3 ladies and one guy and two are okay (the male and one female – each in different planters), one dropped all leaves and the other is stuck in time, holding in, but not really growing. We thought maybe we were too random with filling the lower part of the boxes we made for them, but maybe it was just that they were too tender and not established yet. I even made them a tent during the stormiest days….. I hope you and your hens are having a good week : )Naomi

Naomi, my hardy kiwis lost some growth early in the Spring because of the late frosts, so hopefully yours will bounce back. I have also been feeding them fish fertilizer about once a month, which seems to help them get established. As for the coop tour, I think I am as ready as I could be. I am really curious to see how many people we get! See you at the meetup afterwards.